Weeds With Yellow Flowers

Weeds with yellow flowers can be found in many environments, from gardens and lawns to fields and roadsides. Here are some common types:

1. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

• Appearance: Bright yellow flowers; toothed leaves.
• Features: Known for its seed-bearing puffballs that children love to blow.

2. Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)

• Appearance: Clusters of small yellow flowers; glossy, lobed leaves.
• Features: Often found in fields and roadsides; blooms in spring.

3. Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)

• Appearance: Clusters of yellow, daisy-like flowers; deeply lobed leaves.
• Features: Toxic to livestock; blooms from June to November.

4. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

• Appearance: Small yellow flowers; fleshy, succulent leaves.
• Features: Can form dense mats; considered both a weed and a nutritious edible plant.

5. Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

• Appearance: Small, pea-like yellow flowers; compound leaves with three leaflets.
• Features: Common in grassy areas; beneficial for nitrogen-fixation in the soil.

6. Yellow Hawkweed (Hieracium caespitosum)

• Appearance: Dense clusters of yellow, dandelion-like flowers; hairy stems and leaves.
• Features: Tends to grow in meadows and pastures; forms rosettes.

7. Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta)

• Appearance: Delicate yellow flowers; heart-shaped trifoliate leaves.
• Features: Often found in gardens and disturbed soils; leaves and seed pods are edible with a sour taste.

8. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

• Appearance: Spikes or clusters of small yellow flowers; narrow, alternate leaves.
• Features: Often mistaken as a weed; important for pollinators and not typically invasive.

9. Mustard Weed (Sinapis arvensis)

• Appearance: Bright yellow flowers with four petals; lobed leaves.
• Features: Common in agricultural fields; can be invasive.

10. Common St. John’s-wort (Hypericum perforatum)

• Appearance: Small, star-shaped yellow flowers; oblong leaves with transparent dots.
• Features: Used medicinally, but can be invasive in some areas.

Management Tips:

• Identification: Properly identify the weed to implement the most effective control method.
• Hand Pulling: This method is effective for small infestations but make sure to remove the entire root.
• Mulching: Helps prevent weed seeds from germinating.
• Herbicides: Use as a last resort and follow label recommendations to avoid damaging desirable plants.

If you’re unsure about the identification of a particular weed, consider consulting a local extension service or using a plant identification app for assistance.